Whiffletree-coupling.



PATENTED MAY 7, 1907.

E. L. BAUMAN.

WHIFPLETREE COUPLING.

urmouxon FILED JAN.15, 190v.

rm: NORRIS PETERS c0., WASHINGTON, 0. c4

EDWARD L. BAUMAN, OF SAXONBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

WHlFFLETREE-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May '7, 1907'.

Application filed January 15, 1907. Serial No. 352,434.

To rt/l /1/0111 it 711m. (full/067"! Be it known that I, EDWARD L.BAUMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Saxonburg, in thecounty of Butler and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in VVhifIletree- Couplings, of which thefollowing is a specii'ication.

This invention is a wl'iiflietree coupling, and. has for its object toprovide an elastic connection between the axle and the whiflletree; andalso to lower the draft, and to center it. I

To this end, the invention consists in a construction and arrangement ofparts hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to thedrawing hereto annexed in which Figure l is a plan view showing theapplication of the invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the elastic connection. Fig. 4 is asection on the line 4-4: of Fig. 3.

Referring specifically to the drawing, 5 denotes the front axle of avehicle; and. 6, the thills which are connected by a cross-bar 7 andcoupled to the axle in the usual manner. The whiifietree 8 is suspendedfrom the cross-bar 7 by leather straps 9 which are looped around thecross-bar. The whifl'letree is also coupled to the axle by an elasticconnection. This connection comprises spaced parallel bars 10 which arejoined at their ends by heads 11 and 12, respectively. The head 11 hasan eye 13 to receive a clevis 14 for attachment to the axle' The head 12has a central opening through which passes a draw-rod 15 threaded at itsinner end to receive a nut 16 which is slidably mounted between the bars10. A spring 17 is coiled. around the rod between the head 12 and thenut 16. The outer end of the draw-rod has an eye 18 to receive a clevis19 for attachment to the whiffietree. The movement of the nut is guidedby ribs 20 on the bars 10 which enter grooves 21 on opposite sides ofthe nut 16.

The point of attachment of the elastic con nection is at the middle ofthe axle and the whiifietree, which centers the draft so that the pullwill be directly from the middle of the axle. The whiffletree is locateda short distance below the crossbar 7 and also a short distance to therear thereof which lowers the draft and lightens it, and the elasticconnection relieves the animal from sudden strains and shocks.

The combination with. the axle and thills of a vehicle, and a cross-barconnecting the thills, of suspension loops depending from the cross-bar,a whifiletree carried by the loops,

and an elastic connection between thewhifiletree and the axle.

In testimony whereof I a'liix my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

EDWARD L. BAUMAN. Witnesses:

JOHN E. MUDER,

W. D. HOFFMAN.

